Nature and Grace are in harmony with each other. For Grace is God as Nature is God.

Julian of Norwich

Nature and Grace

Topic: The Natural World

Nature and Grace are in harmony with each other. For Grace is God as Nature is God… God is two in manner of working and one in love. Neither Nature nor Grace works without the other. They may never be separated.

Julian of Norwich

Julian of Norwich (c. 1343–after 1416) was an English anchoress and mystic of the Middle Ages. She is renowned for her book Revelations of Divine Love, which is considered one of the earliest surviving works of English literature written by a woman.

Julian lived in the city of Norwich during a tumultuous period marked by the Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt. In the midst of these upheavals, she experienced a series of profound visions of the Passion of Christ in 1373, when she was around 30 years old. These visions transformed her understanding of God's love, leading her to believe that all people are loved unconditionally by God, even in their sinfulness.

Julian's Revelations of Divine Love is a beautiful and moving meditation on the love of God, exploring themes such as the compassion of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the hope of salvation. She also delves into the mystery of suffering and the role of pain in spiritual growth. Although her writings were not published during her lifetime, they were carefully preserved by her followers and later rediscovered and translated into English in the 19th century. Today, Julian of Norwich is recognized as one of the most important Christian mystics and theologians, renowned for her profound insights into the nature of God's love and her emphasis on the harmony between faith, nature, and grace.

(c. 1343-1416) Christianity
Revelations of Divine Love

Brendan Doyle, Trans. Meditations with Julian of Norwich, pp. 107-109, 89.

Julian of Norwich

Theme: Natural World

About This Julian of Norwich Quotation [Commentary]

Julian of Norwich’s reflection on the interconnectedness of nature and grace offers a thoughtful lens through which we can view the natural world. In stating, “Nature and Grace are in harmony with each other. For Grace is God as Nature is God,” she invites us to see the sacredness inherent in the environment, urging reverence and care towards nature. By equating both grace and nature with God, Julian not only underscores their inseparability but also elevates our understanding of the environment as a vital expression of the divine.

Her further explanation, “God is two in manner of working and one in love. Neither Nature nor Grace works without the other. They may never be separated,” deepens this unity. It suggests that the natural world and divine grace are complementary expressions of God’s love, challenging the separation of spiritual and material realms. Julian’s insights compel us to view ecological responsibility as intertwined with spiritual wellness, emphasizing that harming nature disrupts divine expression.

Understanding nature through Julian of Norwich’s teachings could transform our interactions with the world. Seeing both nature and grace as manifestations of God’s love compels us to rethink our role within the environment—not as dominators, but as integral parts of a larger divine whole. Her vision promotes a sense of belonging and interconnectedness with the natural world, advocating for a life that reflects the unity and love of God she perceived so deeply.

Matthew Fox Commentary About This Julian of Norwich Quotation

Julian sees nature and grace as being in harmony with each other and united in God’s love. This means that we can experience God’s love in both the natural world and the spiritual realm.

Matthew Fox, a contemporary theologian and mystic, writes, “Julian expands her teaching this way: God is two in manner of working and one in love. Neither Nature nor Grace works without the other. They may never be separated.” [Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, pp. 81-87, 208-219, 257-264.] This quote further emphasizes the unity of nature and grace in God’s love. It tells us that nature and grace are always working together to express God’s love in the world.

Also, Julian often makes the point that faith means trust. For example she writes: “Faith is nothing else but a right understanding of our being—trusting and allowing things to be; a right understanding that we are in God and God whom we do not see is in us.”

Nature and Grace

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